UpFront with NGS: volunteerism

Showing posts with label volunteerism. Show all posts

20 April 2023

Thank You, Volunteers!

Thank You to All the Amazing NGS Volunteers

Volunteer Recognition Day

20 April 2023

The National Genealogical Society (NGS) could not function without volunteers contributing to our success. Our programs depend on the time and talent of many people dedicated to strengthening the genealogy and family history community. We appreciate their generosity and invite you to join us in thanking them.

The April–June 2023 issue of NGS Magazine, Volume 49, No. 2, lists and thanks our 2022 volunteers (pages nine and ten). We do this each April in honor of National Volunteer Month to recognize the outstanding people who do important work. We encourage you to view the list and express gratitude to the volunteers you may know personally.

18 October 2016

Distinguished Service -- What One Person Can Do to Benefit Our Genealogical Community ...

Distinguished Service -- What One Person Can Do to Benefit Our Genealogical Community ...

Family History Month is all about celebrating Family History …

One aspect of that is the dedication of many many tireless volunteers, who, often for decades have enriched our community by sharing their expertise and time to the benefit of us all.

Pat Rand, FGS Project Coordinator - U.S.-Mexican War Soldier Database, mailto:Projects@FGS.org reminded me of one such person … Nancy Heydt, formerly from NJ and now a member of The Villages Genealogical Society received an award in 2013 honoring her dedication to genealogy and genealogists. Here’s the announcement made at the time …

... It is said that we stand on the shoulders of giants, that we do not walk this earth alone. Nowhere is that more applicable than in historical and genealogical research. So it’s with that thought in mind that the Monmouth County Genealogy Society has established the Barbara Carver Smith Distinguished Service Award. The award was named for one of our founding members who passed away in 2004. Barbara Carver Smith was a certified genealogist (CG) and taught at adult schools and community colleges, and also organized genealogical workshops in the 1970’s. She was a pioneer in the Monmouth County genealogical community.

The award “is bestowed upon an individual or organization which has, through exceptional efforts, dedication and scholarly research, advanced the knowledge of, access to and greater understanding of Monmouth County genealogy and family history, within this particular community and the public at large.”

Our inaugural recipient is Nancy Heydt. She will be recognized at Monmouth County Archives Day on October 12, 2013. Nancy was a founding member of the Monmouth County Genealogy Club, the forerunner of the Monmouth County Genealogy Society. She was its first president, chaired several committees and co-served as President for a second time. She wrote the Beekman Index, Updated, and was a frequent submitter to The Monmouth Connection, including many of the “Let’s Visit” columns. She has also had articles published in national genealogy magazines.

The Speakers Bureau of MCGS was started in 1989 when Nancy spoke at the LDS workshop on “Writing Your Own Life Story”. In 1983, before the organization of MCGS, Nancy started teaching classes in beginning genealogy during lunchtime at her place of work. She also taught in the Neptune Adult School and in workshops given by the Church of Latter Day Saints in Toms River. It was Nancy’s idea to start a Memoirs Group within MCGS, and she was instrumental in establishing the highly successful essay contest for 5th and 6th graders during Family History Month.

In 1990 it was Nancy Heydt who created the concept of October as Family History Month, which in the beginning was only celebrated in Monmouth County. She then had it listed in Chase’s Book of Annual Events, and soon Governor Florio recognized it at the state level. By 2001, Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) passed legislation that officially commemorated October as Family History Month, and the United States Senate made it a national celebration in 2002. Nancy was then recognized by the Federation of Genealogy Societies with their Distinguished Service Award for fostering this important designation. She was also awarded a Certificate of Excellence by the League of Historical Societies of New Jersey.

It all begins with a spark of genius and overwhelming dedication. And so we stand on the shoulders of giants. Congratulations Nancy.

Share which individual you think deserves a “distinguished” serve award for genealogy contributions?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NGS does not imply endorsement of any outside advertiser or other vendors appearing in this blog. Any opinions expressed by guest authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of NGS.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Republication of UpFront articles is permitted and encouraged for non-commercial purposes without express permission from NGS. Please drop us a note telling us where and when you are using the article. Express written permission is required if you wish to republish UpFront articles for commercial purposes. You may send a request for express written permission to UpFront@ngsgenealogy.org. All republished articles may not be edited or reworded and must contain the copyright statement found at the bottom of each UpFront article.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Think your friends, colleagues, or fellow genealogy researchers would find this blog post interesting? If so, please let them know that anyone can read past UpFront with NGS posts or subscribe!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Suggestions for topics for future UpFront with NGS posts are always welcome. Please send any suggested topics to UpfrontNGS@mosaicrpm.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Unless indicated otherwise or clearly an NGS Public Relations piece, Upfront with NGS posts are written by Diane L Richard, editor, Upfront with NGS.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Want to learn more about interacting with the blog, please read Hyperlinks, Subscribing and Comments -- How to Interact with Upfront with NGS Blog posts!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Follow NGS via Facebook, Flipboard, Google+, Twitter, YouTube

07 January 2015

RAOGK (Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness) has been resurrected!

Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness (RAOGK) has been resurrected. For more than a decade volunteers helped our community get answers to their questions for just expenses incurred. For some history about the original and how it operated, read Dick Eastman’s post, Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness is Back Online.

The website states ...

Our volunteers have agreed to do a free genealogy research task at least once per month in their local area as an act of kindness. While the volunteers of Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness (RAOGK) have agreed to donate their time for free, you MUST PAY the volunteer for his/her expenses in fulfilling your request (copies, printing fees, postage, film or video tape, parking fees, etc.) if they ask for it.

RAOGK is a global volunteer organization. At one time we had over 4000 volunteers in every U.S. state and many international locations, and helped thousands of researchers. We are trying to rebuild the RAOGK site. It will take a little more time to get it back to its former glory. Our volunteers take time to do everything from looking up courthouse records to taking pictures of tombstones. All they ask in return is reimbursement for their expenses (never their time) and a thank you.

If you would like to volunteer in your community, at a certain repository, doing photography or in other ways, please register (it’s FREE). Please do read the FAQ’s For Volunteers before you commit.

Interested in making use of RAOGK, please read Request Guidelines before you consult the RAOGK Volunteer Lookup Directory.

There is also an option to “Ask the Genealogical Community” a question on the main page.

On Facebook, check out the RAOGK FB page.

Links are also provided to other volunteer research sites:

Do recognize that the volunteers only handle very specific and narrowly-defined tasks. Do not ask a volunteer to do your entire genealogy. Do not ask them to do anything beyond what they have offered in their description. Do plan to pay their expenses. Do plan to be patient. Do recognize that they may not be able to do what you ask.

Do recognize that their assistance might prove invaluable to your research and please be appropriately appreciative!

Have you benefitted from an RAOGK angel? If so please share!

Are you an RAOGK volunteer? Tell us why you are and what has been your most memorable experience as one.

Editor’s Note: We wrote about RAOGK back in September 2011 just before the original version shutdown, RAOGK -- an important and often overlooked resource for on-the-ground genealogical help!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NGS does not imply endorsement of any outside advertiser or other vendors appearing in this blog. Any opinions expressed by guest authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of NGS.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Think your friends, colleagues, or fellow genealogy researchers would find this blog post interesting? If so, please let them know that anyone can read past UpFront with NGS posts or subscribe!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Suggestions for topics for future UpFront with NGS posts are always welcome. Please send any suggested topics to UpfrontNGS@mosaicrpm.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Unless indicated otherwise or clearly an NGS Public Relations piece, Upfront with NGS posts are written by Diane L Richard, editor, Upfront with NGS.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Want to learn more about interacting with the blog, please read Hyperlinks, Subscribing and Comments -- How to Interact with Upfront with NGS Blog posts!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Follow NGS via Facebook, YouTube, Google+, Twitter

01 October 2014

Volunteers are invaluable to our family history community!

Source; San Jose Library

I do think some people are superhuman – not that they necessarily have special powers and they do have a seemingly superhuman dedication to helping others!

I was reminded of this when I read Want to learn about your genealogy? A Virginia man compiles area resources in The Washington Post.

Twenty years ago, Harold McClendon offered to help his son with a middle school homework assignment on his ancestors.

Harold hasn’t really ever stopped...

“The appeal to me, I guess, is that I get to meet the people of my past,” Harold said. “If they hadn’t done what they did, I wouldn’t exist.”

... He volunteers to help people with their family history questions. And after becoming involved with the Mount Vernon Genealogical Society (unaffiliated with George Washington’s plantation home), he created Harold’s List, a massive calendar of genealogy-related events taking place across our area.

If you live in VA or nearby, definitely check out his list. Events into summer 2015 are listed.

Do you know of a person like Harold who has selflessly created a resource of great benefit to local genealogists and family historians?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NGS does not imply endorsement of any outside advertiser or other vendors appearing in this blog. Any opinions expressed by guest authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of NGS.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Think your friends, colleagues, or fellow genealogy researchers would find this blog post interesting? If so, please let them know that anyone can read past UpFront with NGS posts or subscribe!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Suggestions for topics for future UpFront with NGS posts are always welcome. Please send any suggested topics to UpfrontNGS@mosaicrpm.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Unless indicated otherwise or clearly an NGS Public Relations piece, Upfront with NGS posts are written by Diane L Richard, editor, Upfront with NGS.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Want to learn more about interacting with the blog, please read Hyperlinks, Subscribing and Comments -- How to Interact with Upfront with NGS Blog posts!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Follow NGS via Facebook, YouTube, Google+, Twitter

30 October 2012

Generous Genealogists -- FREE Genealogy Research and Support

Mark Rabideau has launched a new website, Generous Genealogists. Volunteers donate their time to provide research, networking, and coaching to the genealogy community at large. Building on the mission and the intent of the now defunct Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness website (see editor’s note), the “golden rule” for the Generous Genealogists community is to “help others as you would be helped.”

The site includes brick-wall forums, coaching and mentoring articles, and, of course, an

army of volunteers.

Need help with a problem? Are you in a position to help others with their genealogy and family history research needs? If you answered yes to either, do check out this website!

++++++++++

Editor’s Note: the generous volunteering of services that takes place in our community was previously discussed in this Upfront with NGS blog post:

RAOGK -- an important and often overlooked resource for on-the-ground genealogical help! And as reported, sadly, the founder of this effort, Bridget Schneider died in November 2011.

Editor’s Note: we also learned of a new site, Genealogy and Family History Beta. This is a collaboratively edited question and answer site for expert genealogists and people interested in genealogy or family history. It's 100% free, no registration required.

++++++++++

(11 Nov 2012) NEW -- Editor’s Note: Apologies for not acknowledging the "sources" for where I learned about this news! APG eNews, Vol. 1, No. 3, October 2012 (for the 1st paragraph), and Thomas MacEntee on FB and Dick Eastman's blog EOGN for additional insight.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NGS does not imply endorsement of any outside advertiser or other vendors appearing in this blog.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Follow NGS via Facebook, YouTube, Google+, Twitter

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Think your friends, colleagues, or fellow genealogy researchers would find this blog post interesting? If so, please let them know that anyone can read past UpFront with NGS posts or subscribe!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Suggestions for topics for future UpFront with NGS posts are always welcome. Please send any suggested topics to UpfrontNGS@mosaicrpm.com

11 September 2012

Today, 9/11, is National Day of Service and Remembrance

Source: http://www.serve.gov/sept11.asp

9/11 is a significant day. It’s a date where many remember where they were and what they were doing. It is also a day where many lost their lives, some tragically and some heroically.

Because of this,

In 2009, Congress designated September 11th as a National Day of Service and Remembrance under bipartisan federal law, and charged the Corporation for National and Community Service with helping to support this effort across the country. For the anniversary, CNCS is working with MyGoodDeed and numerous other organizations to implement one of the largest days of charitable service in U.S. history.

You can visit www.serve.gov to learn what registered volunteer opportunities are available in your community.

Additionally, do also check out local newspapers and other news outlets for opportunities. For example the local News and Observer published “Sept. 11 volunteer day draws big response in Raleigh” which provides information on select volunteer activities.

And, on this day, as we remember 9/11, remember that your genealogy and family history societies, local libraries, state archives and other places where we do research RELY ON VOLUNTEERS! Without volunteers, many societies and repositories would be shut down.

And, in this modern age where we have e-mail, Facebook, Yahoo Groups, Dropbox and many more tech tools to help us, they can also facilitate volunteering where you don’t even have to leave your house (e.g. you can participate in your jammies) nor live where you are providing assistance! For example, the local Wake County Genealogical Society has a newsletter editor who lives in FL, has individuals living all across the country (literally) who help on the journal and newsletter (providing content or abstracting documents received in PDF format), has had committee members living out of state (e.g. Bylaws committee), etc. Without these volunteers, many of whom have never stepped foot in Wake County, the society might have folded several years ago!

So, as you remember 9/11, think how you might help a local or remote society or repository whose existence is vital to genealogy and family history researchers. Such will not save a life and it will help preserve the stories of all of us for future generations.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NGS does not imply endorsement of any outside advertiser or other vendors appearing in this blog.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Follow NGS via Facebook, YouTube, Google+, Twitter

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Think your friends, colleagues, or fellow genealogy researchers would find this blog post interesting? If so, please let them know that anyone can read past UpFront with NGS posts or subscribe!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Suggestions for topics for future UpFront with NGS posts are always welcome. Please send any suggested topics to UpfrontNGS@mosaicrpm.com

27 April 2012

Example of What One Person Can Do

Photo of Beverly Kittinger, Killeen Daily Herald (associated with 2nd article mentioned)

This is a great story about what one genealogy “volunteer” can do for a community!

“Every Monday and Wednesday, 71-year-old Beverly Kittinger can be found in the reference section of the Killeen Public Library's main branch.

Poring through birth, death and marriage records for eight to 10 hours a week, she's a one-person genealogy department for the library, creating a database that can be used not only by Killeen residents but also by people across the country trying to find out more about their family histories.

Kittinger, a former library employee, said she been working on the database for the past nine years...”

Read the full article and another article about Ms. Kittinger.

Do you know of such a volunteer? Please post a comment with a “shout out” to that person and all they’ve done to help genealogists!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Follow NGS via Facebook, YouTube, Vimeo and Twitter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Think your friends, colleagues, or fellow genealogy researchers would find this blog post interesting? If so, please let them know that anyone can read past UpFront with NGS posts or subscribe!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Suggestions for topics for future UpFront with NGS posts are always welcome. Please send any suggested topics to UpfrontNGS@mosaicrpm.com

04 November 2011

Genealogists Supporting Families Through Kiva

Judy Webster, a genealogist from

Australia

, has tried to begin a world wide effort among genealogists to support families in need through Kiva and team “Genealogists for Families.” Kiva is a non-profit organization with a mission to connect people through lending to alleviate poverty. You can make loans and help grow the impact of the team!

Learn more about Kiva.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Follow NGS via Facebook, YouTube, Vimeo and Twitter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Think your friends, colleagues, or fellow genealogy researchers would find this blog post interesting? If so, please let them know that anyone can read past UpFront with NGS posts or subscribe!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Suggestions for topics for future UpFront with NGS posts are always welcome. Please send any suggested topics to UpfrontNGS@mosaicrpm.com.

12 September 2011

RAOGK -- an important and often overlooked resource for on-the-ground genealogical help!

A recent article in the Chattanooga Free Press (31 July 2011) “Chattanooga man part of volunteer network that helps people trace their roots” reminds us of how wonderful the about 4000 volunteers for the group called Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness (or RAOGK for short) are.

“When Bill Caldwell looks for buried treasure, he's not seeking gold, jewels or coins. He is on the hunt for things like World War I draft registration records and cemetery listings.

The Chattanooga resident is one of about 4,000 volunteers for a group called Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness who do free genealogical research.

"I can watch daytime TV or grass growing, whichever is less boring," said Caldwell, a retired government employee, "or I can do some worthwhile research, analysis and documentation that will help someone else and be fun for me, too."

The Florida native said he has done genealogical research for 40 years or more. He has volunteered his time to help other people for the last 10 or 12 years and has worked through Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness for the last several years…”

Read the full article.

Learn more about RAOGK.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Republication of UpFront articles is permitted and encouraged for non-commercial purposes without express permission from NGS. Please drop us a note telling us where and when you are using the article. Express written permission is required if you wish to republish UpFront articles for commercial purposes. You may send a request for express written permission to UpFront@ngsgenealogy.org. All republished articles may not be edited or reworded and must contain the copyright statement found at the bottom of each UpFront article.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Follow NGS via Facebook, YouTube, Vimeo and Twitter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Think your friends, colleagues, or fellow genealogy researchers would find this blog post interesting? If so, please let them know that anyone can read past UpFront with NGS posts or subscribe!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Suggestions for topics for future UpFront with NGS posts are always welcome. Please send any suggested topics to UpfrontNGS@mosaicrpm.com.

24 May 2011

How You Can Support NGS!

Did you know that there are several ways that you can support the mission of the NGS “To serve and grow the genealogical community by providing education and training, fostering increased quality and standards, and promoting access to and preservation of genealogical records.”?

And, for a few of these ways, it only takes a “click” of your mouse!

· Planning to make a purchase through Amazon.com – just click on the NGS link below and the society will get a percentage of your purchase!

· Are you or someone you know planning to join Ancestry.com or make a purchase through its store – just click on the NGS link below and the society will get a percentage!

· Looking for some fashionable well-made genealogy apparel from Land’s End – again, just click on the link below, do your planned shopping and NGS will received a percentage of your purchase.

These and other ways to support NGS are listed:

· Shop Amazon (either by using this link or by clicking on publications we sometimes highlight in the blog)

· Ancestry Affiliates (either by using this link or by clicking on Ancestry.com ads as they appear on the NGS web site)

· Purchase Land's End Apparel from the NGS E-Store

· Volunteer

· Make a Donation

· Planned Giving

Your support of NGS and its mission is very much appreciated! NGS only survives through your donations of money and time! Please help keep NGS as the strong, viable and relevant society

that it is.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

neal

ogical Society, 3108 Columbia Pike, Suite 300, Arlington, Virginia 22204-4370. http://www.ngsgenealogy.org.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Follow NGS via Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Think your friends, colleagues, or fellow genealogy researchers would find this blog post interesting? If so, please let them know that anyone can read past UpFront with NGS posts or subscribe!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Suggestions for topics for future UpFront with NGS posts are always welcome. Please send any suggested topics to UpfrontNGS@mosaicrpm.com.